This invention relates to a lock for helmet, and in particular for a motorcycle helmet.
Loss of a motorcycle helmet due to theft is a common problem among motorcyclists and bicyclists. In order to prevent such theft, the motorcyclist is obliged to carry the helmet when he or she is dismounted while on journeys away from home. While a helmet is a necessity, it becomes an inconvenience to the operator of the vehicle when not in motion. Consequently, cyclists must have a way of locking their helmet so that it cannot be stolen when left unattended.
Thus, there is a need for a fast, safe and convenient method of securing a helmet to a fixed object, such as a motorcycle, without the aid of a secondary device such as a padlock, chain or cable. Such a method should provide a helmet with a self-contained locking means, which should not affect the safety or change the general appearance of the helmet in any way.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,616 (Donahue) discloses a lock for use principally in a bicycle helmet consisting of a shackle locked in a stored position around the top of the helmet and which is locked in an in-use position underneath the helmet in the manner of a chin strap. However, this invention requires modification to the external appearance of the helmet and would not function properly with the majority of motorcycle helmets due to their shape. Furthermore, the shackle is separable from the body of the helmet, requiring to be removed and reinserted in the opposite direction in order to effect locking.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,529,451 (McOsker) discloses a lock for helmet consisting of a removable pin to be inserted through a hole in the helmet and then into a lock which itself clasps the handle bar of a motorcycle. However, the disadvantage of this arrangement is that the lock is made up of two separate pieces, which themselves are not integral with the helmet and thus may be lost.